Acting is about being able to try new things: Jake Gyllenhaal on his varied filmography | Hollywood

In New Delhi, acting is about using your skills to try new things, says Hollywood star Jake Gyllenhaal, who sweated it out in the gym to play a former UFC boxer in his new film “Road House”.

Over a career spanning more than 20 years, the actor has created a rich tapestry of diverse performances with films such as “Brokeback Mountain,” “Zodiac,” “Source Code,” “Prisoners,” “Nightcrawler,” “Nocturnal Animals,” “Enemy,” “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” and “Ambulance.”

The actor said there wasn’t a lot of thought put into building his filmography, but his choices were constantly evolving with “relationships and people and things.”

“I like different genres. I like the idea of ​​being able to use my skills to try new things, try to test them and push them. I think the idea of ​​acting, in particular, is about the thrill of being able to change and try a new outfit or different behavior,” Gyllenhaal told PTI in an interview.

“I try to use the joy of change that is inherent in taking action in the choices I make. And I try to evolve with things that bring me joy. That’s really at the heart of my approach,” he added.

“Road House” is a remake of Hollywood star Patrick Swayze’s 1989 film of the same name. It was released Thursday on the Prime Video streaming service.

In this new version, Gyllenhaal plays a former UFC middleweight fighter who ends up working at a truck stop, an old-fashioned term for a small bar on the main road of a city or town.

The 43-year-old actor underwent a grueling training regime to get in shape for the film, in which he takes on world-renowned mixed martial artist and professional boxer Connor McGregor.

Gyllenhaal said he enjoys pushing himself physically, something he learned from his father, filmmaker Stephen Gyllenhaal.

“I am a physical person. Since I was a child I have loved sports and my father has always been very sporty. He instilled that in me and I found it to be very useful, especially as a artist, to be in a place where we can deliver things for the stage.

“Being fit has always been very helpful to me. And then also mental health. It’s so good to be fit and have that outlet. I’ve always found it an anchor for me” , he added.

With the character he has played or wants to essay on screen, Gyllenhaal said he takes on the “physical, mental and intellectual challenge” as part of the development process.

“And that turned out to be fun, to create a character that I could bring into full form and work with fun people that I like working with. I like to push myself. I think it’s interesting. And when a role gives me this opportunity, I love doing this.”

“Road House,” directed by Doug Liman of “The Bourne Identity,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and “Edge of Tomorrow,” stars Gyllenhaal as Dalton, a former UFC fighter who attempts to escape his dark past and his penchant for violence.

Dalton, according to the official plot, is barely living up to the reputation that precedes him when he is spotted by Frankie, owner of a truck stop in the Florida Keys. She hires him as a new bouncer in hopes of stopping a violent gang working for crime boss Brandt from destroying her beloved bar.

But the stakes rise with the arrival of the ruthless hitman Knox. As the brutal brawls and bloodshed intensify, the tropical Keys prove more dangerous than anything Dalton has ever faced in the Octagon.

Gyllenhaal had the opportunity to collaborate with the original film’s star, Swayze, when they worked on the 2001 cult classic “Donnie Darko.”

“Patrick and I never talked about ‘Road House’ in particular, even though he knew I was a big fan of his. All his films, like ‘Point Break,’ I watched maybe hundreds of times, then ‘Dirty Dancing’ and ‘Ghost’ and so on,” he said, remembering the actor, who died at age 57 in 2009 after a battle with breast cancer. pancreas.

But his version of “Road House” is unique in many ways, the actor said.

“It’s a reinvention of the idea. It definitely takes some of the ideas from the original. There’s a difference between the two. In this one, there’s a real sense of humor. There’s a different sense of tone and that tone comes from Doug Liman, our director, who is such a funny guy, but also does action so well.

“He also understands the smallest details of the performance in those scenes. So there are similarities in a way, but ultimately it’s entirely a Doug Liman movie and that’s what makes it different “, Gyllenhaal added.

“Road House” is produced by Joel Silver. It also features Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams and Lukas Gage.

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